求问indemnity、remedy与damage的区别?

求问indemnity、remedy与damage的区别?

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如果查一般字典,可查到indemnity是赔偿、补偿的意思,再查remedy,竟也是赔偿与补偿的意思,而damage则是损害赔偿的意思,这些名词是否同义,可否混合使用?


事实上,这些名词确实不易区分,但有时在同一份英文契约上,既有indemnity条款,却也有remedy条款,而damage又时常存在于这两条款中,如谓三者可通用,则为何会有不同的表示方式?显见三者必有差别。


为使这三个名词容易区分,吾人试将indemnity、remedy及damage翻为「担保赔偿条款」、「赔偿方法」及「损害赔偿」(不过,这是便宜的翻法,只是使大家容易区分此三者性质,切勿以词害义)。


Indemnity其实含有担保及赔偿的双重意义,亦即,一方担保不使他方受有损害,他方若受有损害则由该一方负责赔偿(或补偿)。兹先举一例”INDEMNITY:Lender hereby agrees to indemnify Company, Company’s successors, licensees, distributors, sub-distributors and assigns, and the respective officers, directors, agents and employees of each of the foregoing, from and against any damages, liabilities, costs and expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees actually incurred, arising out of or in any way connected with any claim, demand or action inconsistent with this Agreement or any warranty, representation or agreement made by Lender” (大意为:贷方同意补偿对方、对方之继受人、被授权人、经销者、转经销者、权利受让人以及前述人等的职员、董事,使其免于因贷方违反契约之担保、声明及其它合意所造成之损失,此等损失包括任何损害赔偿、责任、花费及合理的律师费用),这种条款原是拿来免除一方因另一方违反担保约定,致第三人求偿所造成的损失,亦即约定这些损失应由另一方负担。但我们常见契约内的indemnity并不限于前述第三人求偿的情形,即便是契约相对人也可依此条款求偿。前引之例,我们可以将之视为就是损害赔偿的求偿范围约定,亦即将种种费用都约到契约里,以免除法院认为原告主张惩罚性损害赔偿(即penalty,英美契约禁止这种惩罚性质的赔偿)的疑虑。易言之,indemnity除要求一方负担保之责外,亦有订出损害赔偿范围的意味,所以我们有时候看到indemnity订了好长一条,都是在列对方违约时应赔偿的种种费用,此时,当然,能删则删之。须知,英文契约里通常会明定标题不作为契约之一部,所以不要太执着于indemnity的字面意义(其担保及非契约责任之性质),而应从整体内容去理解。


至于remedy,其意含就比较明确,通常指的是一方违约时,他方得主张之损害赔偿方法。例如”Remedy:Buyer, in the event of a material breach of this Agreement, as defined elsewhere in this Agreement, shall have the right, in Buyer’s sole discretion, to do any of the following:1. Return nonconforming goods and seek a refund or credit for those goods which have been returned;2. Purchase like goods from another source. If Buyer chooses this remedy, Seller shall be responsible for the difference in any costs associated with such purchase;or 3. Terminate this Agreement.” (买方在卖方违约时可选择退货、购买他家货品请卖方补差价或终止契约),在契约上也常见双方将remedy仅限在金钱损害赔偿,以免其它求偿方法过于繁琐。


最后,来看damage(s)。如前所述,remedy是赔偿方法,而damage(s)就是赔偿方法中最常见的一种,也就是通常所称的损害赔偿。不过,须注意,damage(s)有两层意义,一是原始意义,一是衍生意义,原始意义为损害,衍生意义始为损害赔偿,此处指的是后者。英美法之损害赔偿,原则上为金钱赔偿,例外始为回复原状(restitution),与我国法制相反。


总结说来,indemnity主要是一方担保他方免于受到第三人主张之损害,但实际条款中则兼有预定损害赔偿范围的意味,remedy是指违约赔偿的方法,至于damage(s)则是最常见的违约赔偿方法。

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